Not happy with Rick Steves luggage

Not to doubt your experience, and I have had my own with RS luggage, but my new ones have generally held up fine. The Rolling Carry on has been to France, Portugal, South America, Central Asia, Iran, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway with nary a problem. Given the price, and the fact that RS does stand behind his luggage, I think they are a good buy. I also have some pieces by Red Oxx which are built much better and cost a lot more.

There have been one of two others who have posted experiences similar to yours with the new luggage.

We have used the Rick Steve's luggage a lot and they have held up quite well. Sorry you have had bad luck with them.

Even a few months between purchases can also mean differences in construction methods and quality of materials. Given how many recent complaints, one may wonder if construction has changed. Of course, it could just be the luck of the draw, but one would hope that Rick is looking into things.

I actually don't think it is fair to a business to post individual complaints about their product on a forum like this. It should be on the product review and/or to the company. As 3 complaints without all the facts is inaccurate. I guess using a forum like this to me, means you give a certain respect to following the correct process rather than just complaining willy nilly, with no quality control on the product or complainer in force. Just my opinion. Probably not popular. But complain to the source.

I disagree, Wray. This forum has a specific category for packing, with lots or requests for recommendations. And there is a line of luggage for sale on this site.

I have recommended the RS luggage for years, but the new 20" carryon is a letdown for me. Not a huge problem while traveling, but the extension zipper broke, and the bag overall doesn't feel as stable as the older version.

One week into a recent RS tour and three weeks into a trip, the top handle of my new Ravenna rolling bag broke off. Three others on that tour had stories of problems with RS bags. I also had problems with other RS bags and manufacturing issues.

In all cases, RS customer service stepped up and either offered a new bag or a refund.

I think they are trying not to raise prices but to do that they have to cut corners. At some point those cuts will be too much and the problems will become more frequent. RS offers quality tours and travel guides. Does he really then want to be associated with inferior merchandise?

I also disagree Wray, this is exactly the place for a complaint . It is a place we often promote RS products , so if there are issues I think it's equal time allowed .

I don't think this is a bad place to complain, but I do think it presents a skewed view. People who are satisfied rarely post anything.

I had the backpack (Civita, I think). It began to fray very quickly (I wore it during my daily walks before my tour to test it out)where the strap met the top of the backpack. I contacted RS tours and they quickly replaced it. The new one did the same. They do provide good customer service, but I do think they need to rethink their manufacturing and up the quality factor.

If you haven't yet talked to our customer service department, then please call them at 425-608-4220 or email them the details at customerservice@ricksteves.com. Since the word "torn" makes me think of airline damage, I'm sure they'll appreciate knowing the back-story.

"People who are satisfied rarely post anything."

Not true on this forum imo. Company review sites yes.

I also disagree Wray, this is very helpful info.

I bought the RS Rolling Carry On in March, at 20% off, still thought it was expensive. Especially when I got it. It looks and feels cheap. Haven't used it yet. I have 2 RS 22" carry ons I bought 14 yrs ago that held up well which I why I was biased towards buying a RS replacement for next trip.

Even if RS replaces a torn / broken bag, it's after a trip where you've had to deal with the problem and, if they aren't being made well, a replacement isn't much consolation.

Do it well or don't do it at all.

I do think there's a market for relatively inexpensive bags that will hold up well enough for an infrequent traveler. I'm not that person, though. I want to add that I have used RS luggage for about 20 years, this was the first problem. But this bag just never felt as "good" as previous ones.

I hate to post negative reviews. I will only do so when all other options have failed me, and I'm no stranger to sitting on hold with a company to ask for assistance.

We have two RS backpacks, purchased a year apart. They're both great, and they are holding up well.

We also have one small RS roller bag that we took on our last trip. It's holding up well so far, and that includes going up and down some seriously rocky embankments to reach a boat or the landing. It's not the sturdiest piece of luggage that I've ever purchased, but so far it's holding up WAY better than some other name brands I've purchased elsewhere.

What I do need to replace is my RS wallet. I carry it in my pocket even when we're at home. I've been carrying it day in/day out for several years now. It's starting to show.

"People who are satisfied rarely post anything."

Not true on this forum imo. Company review sites yes.

I guess this is a point where we will disagree. Some people post here who are satisfied. However, research indicates that people who are satisfied tell fewer people than those who are dissatisfied. We have no real way of knowing what percent of RS Luggage consumers are satisfied or dissatisfied and at what level. For example, I have a bunch of RS luggage. Of all of the "main" bags and "personal items" I have had problems with only 2. One was a minor issue with inside straps on the rolling carry on and the other was a broken shoulder strap on the Euro Flight Bag. RS replaced both pieces of luggage. However, I am satisfied. I have used my luggage fairly hard and it difficult conditions with (essentially) only one failure. Others may say they were dissatisfied with that level of performance. While I read complaints about tours, prices, luggage etc., I take them all with a grain of salt (which doesn't mean I disagree, I just put it in context which makes sense to me.)

I've been using the new@20" since it came out, and it is holding up reasonably well-the key is to not over-pack it. In my case, I come over for business meetings, and then travel for 2-3 weeks after so I carry a combination of clothes.
This trip, packed pair of dress pants, casual shoes, 3prs socks(1 &1/2 in ea shoe) 1 dress shirt, 3 polo shirts & 2 super-light T's along with 2prs of shorts; wore denim on the plane and happy I have it here now in Salzburg. Also, in the bag are 5prs under-ware, my toilet "kit" and a small mixed bag of liquids. Outside pockets have a scrunched-up rain coat, and Rick's guide books for Slovenia, and Munich-Salzburg.
When in Rome, I use a dependable Laundry that will do a bag (any size!) of clothes washed and folded for €12.
Finally I do carry a backpack, mainly with business stuff. My key is that I have to be able to zip it closed without effort or stretch-if not, I guess I don't need it.

JerryG, RS sells two different 20" bags... which one did you get?

I actually sent the following email to the main RS email address just a few days ago, and after reading this thread thought I would post it here. It refers to a photo I attached to the email , and I don't think I can attach a photo in these forums, so you will just have to take my word for it about how good the bag still looks.

Dear Rick and Company,

In 1996, my wife and I took our first trip to Europe. She is a classical pianist and had a concert in Paris. From there we went to Venice, Vienna, Salzburg, and Gimmelwald, Switzerland. We purchased two of Rick Steve’s back door bags, and with guidance provided by Rick’s books, had an awesome time. Over the next three years, we took three more trips to Europe using those same bags, culminating in a one month trip to Belgium, Amsterdam, and a good size chunk of France. My wife was 4 months pregnant with our first son when we started that trip!

Twenty One Years later, we still have one of the bags! (Alas, the second bag was destroyed by a baggage handler when it was checked on a domestic flight to Miami.) As you can see from the attached picture, the bag is still in great shape and it has been used many, many times for various travel.

Next year, we are finally returning to Europe, this time to Italy, with our two sons, who will be 16 and 18 (a graduation present for the older one). I am already starting research by viewing your web site and reading Rick’s books.

I will be bringing that same Rick Steves bag and will be purchasing three more of them for the rest of the family. It says a lot about the quality of your products that I can still use the bag, and I believe I will have it for many more years to come.

Just thought you would enjoy this story.

davidfox, I think the issue here is RS luggage now is not the same quality as it was many years ago.

david,

To expand on Susan's comments, the earlier RS bags were made with Cordura nylon which was a thicker and more robust material than the polyester material used now. This may be one reason why the newer bags were "torn" as described above.

Speculation here-- the newer bags are made of polyester as a weight saving feature to help comply with the weight restrictions imposed by many European carriers. Devote more of your total weight for contents and not so much used up by the bag itself

Polyester just not as tough as ballistic nylon. Trade off of lighter weight vs durability

I had a day bag that had a zipper problem. I didn't have the receipt but was in/out of store in 5 minutes with a new one. At least in my case they made good on their guarantee.

Fishbone-- can you report on how your contact with RS went?

Just checked the old 24/25" Rick Steves rolling suitcases we travelled Europe with for years until our backs gave out. One frayed at the corners, a little like us, but still closed and rolled on wheels that were well-rounded and show little sign of wear compared to my two year old RS rolling carry-on. It is a great, smaller design that I love, ( I travel with my laptop in a backpack and the carry-on to split the load) but the wheels are different, noisy, and already show signs of wear from European streets. Wear and tear is not covered by RS, you will note from the website, and it is not economical to send the bag back for them to say so. Youtube has a post from an engineer on how to replace these exact wheels with rollerblade ones, if anyone is interested. May ask my techie son to do it.
I am currently looking at all the options to replace this small wonder. (When my 24" bag got lost en route, Croatia Airlines found it thanks to the Rick Steves logo on the bag, a useful feature even better than orange flagging tape on the top.)
I wish the 'wheels on the bus' would be better; I would pay for better quality with the RS logo on. This seems like the same story in all products we use today -my old Volvo is better than a recent one, as are my REI and MEC outdoor clothes. I hope that RS comes up with some better-built products for us loyalists who travel to learn to do things better. We would pay the relatively small difference.

On materials, robust-ness, longevity and weight:

Cordura is serious stuff, and that's probably part of the difference in the old v. new bags. My small 1996 Manhattan Portage messenger bag is still going strong and barely looks used aside from some wear on the zipper pulls, but it weighs 1.3 lbs empty.

For daily carry, I switched last year to a 7oz coated poly bag. I immediately noticed the weight savings and my shoulder is less achy in general than it used to be. HOWEVER it is already fraying and peeling in places. At $16, I am going to just buy a few more as backups.

So, tradeoffs.

I wouldn't mind so much if RS luggage was inexpensive. But imo, it isn't. I thought the RS rolling carry-on I just bought was expensive. Even with the 18% off (RS advertises 20% off but it isn't).

After reading people's comments on RS customer support, I dropped them an email with pictures of the frayed cords on the bottle-holder pockets of my very old and well-used Civita bag -- got a return email saying they couldn't fix the cords so were sending me a new bag. Impressed! Especially since I couldn't even remember when or where I had bought it, had no receipt ...
It's a great bag, by the way -- I have used it for hands-free commuting on public transit as well as many trips. Lightweight, strong, folds down to a very small size. Thanks, RS and company!

I also had an issue with the bottle pocket cords ripping off on the Ravenna backpack. It happened when I was on a work trip at the airport and I called customer support, took a picture, emailed the picture. and they sent a new one which got to my house before I returned on my trip. Their customer support is the best (compared to United, Home Depot, Comcast, Time Warner, and pretty much everyone else). They seem to back up their goods.

I posted a negative review of RS's rolling carry on luggage the other day but either I cannot find it, or it was taken down. I apologize if it offended anybody but I do not think it was inappropriate. Detailed, but not inappropriate. I just want to express my opinion about the fact that both of the carry on bags I bought did not stand up easily. (One of them would not stand up at all and I could see that its backward slant was more extreme than the other bag's slant.) Although I know that a lot of travelers love these bags, and I wanted to love them, I just could not travel with bags that toppled over. It could be that my bags were manufactured with a defect. It happens. Unfortunately I had a negative experience with customer service and I will leave it at that. I have always loved RS's company, philosophy, travel advice, products. Usually top notch.